Chapter 1 #2
“Tomorrow.” His laugh feels like insects crawling into my ear. “When the sun’s up, I suppose. How convenient.”
“We could wait until—”
I was going to say nightfall, but he steps forward and raises a finger to my face.
“I’m done waiting. Done dealing with useless subjects. Done.”
My heart makes a racket in my chest. If he tries to kill or hurt me, will I be able to run? Fight him? How strong is his magic? What would Azur do?
I don’t know anything, and can’t even form a last-minute plan in my mind when I have no answers.
To my relief, the Witch King turns to Azur. “And you? Bound to help me, aren’t you? Can you open the passage?”
Even in the darkness, I can see that Azur’s face is placid and calm as he runs a finger through his long hair, then says, “There are better ways to travel than through doors.”
“Hmmm.” The Witch King sounds satisfied for once. “How quaint. A transcender. Is that what you are?”
“When my magic works, yes, I can transcend. No need to worry about a blocked tunnel.”
The Witch King’s chuckle is light and sounds almost relieved. “Indeed, no. I can feel it. How wonderful.” He places his hands on Azur’s cheeks. If he moves to kill him, I’ll have to act.
But my odious great-great-great-grandfather doesn’t attack Azur. Instead, he says, “A mighty gift you’re giving me. Mighty gift, young Sestin king.”
Azur bows. “I’m at Your Majesty’s service.”
The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. At his service. Shit.
While he could be playing along, he can’t lie.
I might be alone here after all.
MARLAK
I’m freezing from the inside out, outside in. Freezing or else I’ll burn everything in my path.
Astra’s gone. Gone. And she’s with Azur. Azur! I can’t imagine anyone worse, and the thought feels like ice in my blood.
“He won’t harm her,” someone says.
The voice is familiar, but it’s not making any sense.
“Marlak, I don’t think they’re in danger.”
It takes me a few seconds to realize it’s Lidiane, pulling me back to reality.
For a moment, I was suffocated in my painful daze.
I look around and see ice covering the floor and windows around me. My ice—and I can’t stop it.
Well, better than fire. Anything is better than fire.
We’re at the castle’s heart, and my brother has just left to try to get back his guards and make sure the lower fae in the Jewel City are safe. Ferer and Ziven went with him.
This is not the time for worry to flood my mind or for pain to muddle my thoughts. It’s time to find a solution—and a way to get Astra back.
“Can you feel where he is?” I ask. “More than just underground?”
She looks up, thinking. “It’s… not clear. You should be able to sense her too. Can’t you?”
“Sometimes. She even called me once, when she was in danger. I was far away and I felt it.” The memory still squeezes my chest. “I felt it and I knew how to find her. But I don’t feel anything now.”
All I feel is a pit of emptiness calling me, and yet I need to crawl out of it if I want to have any hope of rescuing Astra.
Lidiane closes her eyes, her expression thoughtful.
I hope she’s able to see more than I can, even if the idea that Ferer’s little sister somehow has a bond with Azur is something out of a nightmare.
I’m hoping it’s some kind of temporary bond, perhaps some trick, nothing permanent.
Still, I’ll make him pay if he’s duping Lidiane, who’s like a sister to me.
The thought reminds me that my real sister has left the castle with that crooked healing master. I’ll have to find a way to bring her back as well. Too many disasters at once; worry upon worry in interminable layers burying me in my own agony.
The layer of ice on the ground is a palm thick, and the windows are completely covered. Such a waste of magic.
Astra, where are you? Can you hear me? How can I bring you home?
I don’t know how she reached me that time, and don’t know how to reach her now.
I don’t feel that jolt of pain I’ve felt a few times when I sensed her in danger, but I sense that something’s wrong.
And I’m sure Azur wouldn’t waste an opportunity to hurt me.
It’s not just that he was Renel’s guardian; he has a personal grudge against me.
His words haven’t left my mind. Try anything, and I’ll slice your wife into pieces.
A shiver runs up my spine.
Then, Lidiane opens her eyes all of a sudden, as if startled. Something’s wrong.
“What is it?” I can’t hide my agony.
“I… think they’re safe. At least for now.”
“And?” I know there’s more.
“They’re in the…” Her shoulders droop as she pauses.
“Just say it,” I plead. Every second waiting is torture.
“They’re in the Shadow Lands.”
It’s like a punch in my chest. “Now?” Desperation laces my voice. “In the middle of the night? She’ll be dead.”
“But she’s alive, isn’t she?” Lidiane’s face is calm, as if any part of her words could comfort me.
I cover my face with my hands. No, no, no, no. “Can you find their location?”
“Maybe. Marlak, you’re right that it’s night, but if they’re safe, it means they found shelter, something. They probably can’t leave until morning. We can’t go there right now, when all the monsters roam free. Once the sun rises, then yes, I’ll come with you, and we’ll bring all the help we can.”
Thick layers of ice cover the windows, as a whirlwind of panic stirs in my chest. “It might be too late.”
“What do you want to do? Go to the Shadow Lands right now and die? Is that going to help?”
Breathing is hard. Thinking is hard. It’s true that I sense no danger, no panic. And it’s true that Astra’s magic is spectacular. So spectacular that even bloodpuppets have chased her. But she’s not calling for me right now, and I need to trust that she’s fine.
“Fair,” I concede. “I’ll wait. You should rest. Meanwhile, I’ll try to come up with a plan.”
Lidiane shakes her head. “You think I can sleep? No. And I agree. We need a plan. I’ll try to see if I can sense more about where they are.” She gives me a faint smile. “We’ll be ready to find them.”
“We will.”
In the morning. Just a few hours. An eternity of pain.
Astra, I’m coming for you.
TARLIA
Moths. Gigantic, dark moths.
Those are the things flying our carriage. I was trying to get a glimpse of the castle to see any sign of destruction, when my eyes caught the creatures carrying us. I’d never heard of anything like it, but when I’m sitting across from a fae who survived a beheading, nothing surprises me.
My heart aches in my hollow, empty chest when I think that the castle might self-destruct at any moment.
Is there any chance Renel will survive? And Ziven was there too.
I don’t want him to die either. It’s why I glance out the window, eager for a sign that Renel was wrong, that no disaster will happen, that everything will be all right.
But dark clouds below and a starry sky around us can’t tell me what’s happening to the castle.
I turn back to the interior of the carriage and see Mirella looking out the window, her expression sad and pensive.
She’s wearing a silver tiara contrasting with her black hair, as the true princess of the Crystal Court.
There’s no denying that she’s beautiful, with a delicate face and big blue eyes, and yet her dress looks worn thin, old, the sewing parted in some areas.
I don’t know what she’s been through, what she means by years trapped in a strange nightmare, but something dreadful happened.
Everyone thought she was dead, but she survived. And now she just learned that she was the one responsible for her father’s death, when she pushed Marlak’s fire with her air magic. I wonder if her thoughts are consumed with guilt or if she’s trying to find a way to shift the blame.
I notice then Zorwal watching me, astute eyes trying to glimpse under the surface, as if ripping out layers of my skin. The discomfort is nothing compared to the relief in knowing that he might still want something from me.
Be useful or be expendable. I still hear it in Otavio’s voice, part advice, but mostly a threat. But there’s wisdom in his words. As long as Zorwal needs me or believes he can use me, he’ll keep me alive.
When I made a deal with him, I thought I was being so smart.
Promise not to hurt me as long as I obey you, I said. And he agreed.
At that moment, when sheer panic clouded my mind, when Renel was dying in front of me, I thought my words meant I would be safe serving Zorwal. Right? All I had to do was obey Renel’s former master, as horrific as the idea of being bound might seem.
Now, hundreds of feet above the ground, I realize he could simply ask me to do something dangerous like opening the door and stepping outside while we fly. Quite easy to get rid of me.
And yet Zorwal healed Renel in exchange for my servitude bond.
Logic tells me he wouldn’t do that just to kill me, but every part of my body shudders with the awareness that I’m not safe.
I can feel it. And then there’s the fear that it was all for nothing, that Renel is dying right now, consumed by the fire devouring his castle.
I still don’t regret trying, giving him a chance, clinging to a maniac, fear-fueled hope that there could be a way out. Crazy hope.
I look outside again, trying to see if there’s a crack, a tremor, anything telling me to stop hoping, but all I see are clouds illuminated by the moonlight, and I turn to the interior of the carriage.
Mirella is still pensive, her eyes looking somewhere far away, while Zorwal is scratching his chin, frowning as if worried. Odd.
Something shifted in his demeanor.
My heart is about to explode into thousands of painful pieces. Is it the castle? Was it destroyed? I want to ask, and at the same time want to delay the answer, want to stretch my hope as much as I can.
Still, the words come out before I stop them, and I blurt, “Did the castle move?”
“The castle?” Zorwal has an amused laugh. “Why? Do you fear it ended up in the Fiery Gorge? I’m afraid your dear lover was mistaken.”
Did Renel survive? Was my pointless act not so pointless after all? My heart stills in my chest. The world stills around me.
“The castle moved,” Mirella says. “I felt it.”
My entire body jolts, taken by a sudden burst of both fear and hope.
Zorwal rolls his eyes. “Indeed, but it’s not destroyed, as Renel predicted.”
Not. Destroyed.
I can breathe. I can finally breathe, after spending so many minutes suffocated with anguish. The castle’s not destroyed—and tears of relief threaten to wet my eyes, but I push them back, unwilling to show any vulnerability.
“I see,” Mirella says.
Zorwal looks like he just sucked a sour lemon and turns to Mirella.
“Tell me, how much do you want to be the Crystal Court Queen?”
She blinks as if startled and catches a breath before replying, “I want power.”
“Power is vague, Mirella. Do you want to be the Crystal Court Queen?”
“Yes.” Her eyes are glassy, as if the person behind them had disappeared. All that’s left is coldness, hatred.
“Well, then. The Council will convene tomorrow, and if everything goes well, they’ll accept to support you as the court’s queen. That will be step one. Climbing is always step by step.”
She huffs. “Of course.”
“Now, there’s one major hurdle on your way to queendom. Do you know what that is?”
Her lower lip trembles. “The Council?”
Zorwal has a mocking laugh. “They’re nothing but puppets. Puppets, Mirella. But the Crystal Court has a king.”
She frowns. “Renel?”
My nails almost dig into the leather cushion as I wonder what horrific plan this disgusting fae has for Renel.
Zorwal shakes his head. “Marlak.”
Astra’s husband. I shouldn’t feel relieved, and yet I can’t help it. At least they might leave Renel alone. I’m horrible.
Mirella’s eyes widen, then she looks down. “Of course.”
He gives her a look as if he’s peering into her, this time deep beneath her skin. “Marlak wants the throne and has been calling himself king all these years. Do you still have any affection for him?”
With her head still down, she bites her lip and then sucks in a breath. “Affection is one thing.” She raises her empty, inhuman eyes and faces Zorwal. “My goal is another. Getting where I want is what’s most important.”
“Then you shall be queen.” He turns to me. “Do you know how to be a maid? Can you prepare a bath?”
My knotted chest loosens even more with the hope that I’ll survive. It turns out that not everything Otavio taught me was useless. “I had extensive training in housekeeping in case I was deployed as a lady-in-waiting, so yes.”
“What about kitchen duties?”
Kitchen. I tremble. All I remember were stolen kisses from the time I fancied myself in love with a boy who stared at my boobs more often than my eyes.
A boy who might have been murdered by Otavio.
The thought hurts, as well as the realization that the only meat I ever beat in a kitchen won’t qualify me as a cook.
“I can make tea, and I’m willing to learn more duties.” Zorwal’s nose crinkles with disgust, and I add, “I’m a fast learner.”
“Then learn fast.” He raises an eyebrow, reminding me so much of Otavio that I want to strangle him, except that I’m sure strangling someone who can survive a beheading is a useless endeavor.
Mirella’s blue eyes set on me, a quizzical expression there, then she turns to Zorwal. “What about your servants?”
The creepy fae chuckles. “Freed. All freed.”
She raises her eyebrows. “How… magnanimous of you.”
He shakes his head. “Don’t credit me for that. It was magic. The land is changing. All enchanted fae were freed. Now, you may fear it will create chaos. Let chaos take hold. It will only help you ascend.”
The carriage descends, and I see that we’re approaching an island not too far from the shore where I glimpse some lights that I think come from the Jewel City. A large manor with dark stone walls stands in the middle of the island, surrounded by bushes and then rocks washed by ocean waves.
Zorwal eyes Mirella. “Wash and change as fast as you can, then we’ll discuss our plans and you’ll rest so that you’ll be ready to meet the council tomorrow.”
Her smile is a strange grimace. “I can’t wait.”
And I can’t wait to learn their secrets.
There must be something that can help me, that I might be able to use to secure my freedom. It’s all a matter of finding it.